Hurricane Shutters for Property Managers Managing Storm Protection Across Multiple Properties

Build Your Protection Inventory First

Before storm season, every property you manage needs a documented storm protection profile. You cannot manage what you have not inventoried.

For each property, document:

1. Protection type — accordion, roll-down, panels, impact windows, or none
2. Coverage completeness — does protection cover all openings including garage, lanai, and secondary doors?
3. Product approval status — FL number or NOA, confirmed active
4. Permit status — permitted and inspected, or not
5. Operational condition — last tested, any known issues
6. Deployment responsibility — tenant, landlord, or property manager
7. Panel storage location — if applicable
8. Motor/remote status — if motorized, battery backup status, remote location

This inventory should be reviewed and updated at the start of every storm season — May 1 at the latest.

Vendor Management

A portfolio of coastal properties needs pre-established relationships with licensed shutter contractors before storm season — not during it. Key vendor relationships to establish:

• Primary shutter contractor — for installation, repair, and annual service across your portfolio. Volume = better pricing and priority service during storm events.
• Emergency repair contractor — a backup contractor for when your primary is overwhelmed post-storm. Identify and vet this vendor now, not after a storm.
• Panel storage vendor — for properties with storm panels, a vendor who can store and deliver panels to multiple properties simultaneously.

Always verify contractor licenses before adding them to your approved vendor list. Use our verify contractor tool for all 13 coastal states.

Tenant Communication Protocol

For properties where tenants are responsible for shutter deployment, your storm communication protocol determines whether those shutters actually get closed:

1. Pre-season briefing — walk every tenant through shutter operation before June 1. Document that you did this. A tenant who has never operated the shutters will struggle under storm pressure.
2. Written instructions on site — laminated shutter operation instructions posted inside each unit, near the shutters. Include which trigger (Watch vs Warning) activates the closing requirement.
3. Storm Watch notification — contact all tenants immediately when a Hurricane Watch is issued for the property's county. Text, email, and phone call. Don't assume they are monitoring weather.
4. Confirmation requirement — require tenants to confirm shutter closure by a specific time and method. A text photo of closed shutters is simple and effective.
5. Backup deployment plan — for tenants who cannot be reached or fail to deploy, have a maintenance team or contractor on call who can close shutters at the property.

Compliance and Insurance Coordination

For each property in your portfolio, maintain a compliance file containing:

• Copy of the shutter installation permit and final inspection
• Product approval numbers for all installed protection
• Current wind mitigation report (not older than 5 years for most insurers)
• Insurance declarations page confirming wind mitigation discount is applied

Wind mitigation reports expire and need renewal. A property whose wind mitigation report has lapsed may be paying full wind insurance rates without knowing it. Review the report dates for every property at the start of each year.

Post-Storm Protocol

After a storm passes, your sequence for each property:

1. Safety assessment before entry — check for structural damage, downed power lines, gas leaks
2. Photograph the exterior condition before opening shutters — critical for insurance documentation
3. Open shutters carefully — check for debris caught in tracks before operating
4. Document any shutter damage separately from structural damage — shutter damage claims are typically separate from structural wind damage claims
5. Contact your shutter contractor for repair assessment — do not attempt to operate damaged shutters
6. File insurance claims promptly — most policies have time limits on post-storm claims

Frequently Asked Questions